‘Complete collapse of civic infra this monsoon’: Delhi LG asks chief secretary for monthly report on inspections
The LG advised an "institutionalised mechanism to be put in place for scheduled inspections" by senior officers of facilities under their charge.
- Aug 20, 2024,
- Updated Aug 20, 2024 8:39 AM IST
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said there was a "complete collapse of civic infrastructure" this monsoon and directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to submit a monthly report on the inspection of facilities conducted by senior officers.
The LG advised an "institutionalised mechanism to be put in place for scheduled inspections" by senior officers of facilities under their charge, according Ashish Kundra, the Principal Secretary to Saxena. "It would help them obtain a first-hand feel of the core problems being faced by citizens and take corrective policy or regulatory measures. The chief secretary shall circulate a uniform format of the inspection report to all departments and submit a monthly report on the number of inspections done by each officer," read Kundra’s written communication to the chief secretary.
"The LG has observed that this monsoon has seen the complete collapse of civic infrastructure, leading to unfortunate and avoidable deaths of citizens. The underlying problems are symptomatic of endemic neglect. Drains have not been desilted for years, sewer lines are choked leading to flooding even in planned colonies," the letter read.
Kundra said that LG Saxena views this as a "complete absence of senior management oversight" in the city.
The LG advised principal secretaries to conduct inspections every fortnight. Officers were directed to review institutional mechanisms under various central and state acts to ensure they are fully functional, according to a letter. The letter added that rules, authorities, and boards under these laws should be formulated within three weeks.
The LG insisted on a robust mechanism of field-level inspections at the district level under district magistrates (DM). Inspection notes need to be submitted to the divisional commissioner, who will then send a consolidated note to the chief secretary, Kundra said. District magistrates, SDMs, and ADMs are to conduct inspections twice a week in areas of public delivery services, focusing on road infrastructure, drains, sewage management, education, transport, etc. The executive engineer, deputy directors, and other related officers must accompany the district magistrate during inspections. The inspections should cover all settlements, including rural, urban, planned areas, JJ colonies, and unauthorised colonies, the letter stated.
DMs have also been asked to interact with resident welfare associations in their jurisdictions once a month to address local issues. Reacting to the development, AAP said the urban development minister had directed CS Naresh Kumar to submit timelines for the desilting of drains by various agencies like MCD, PWD, DDA, I&FC, and NDMC.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the LG is repeating the things "which have been said dozens of times by the elected government". "If LG has accepted that sewers were not desilted, why is there no action against officers of DJB who did not do their duty," the party said.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said there was a "complete collapse of civic infrastructure" this monsoon and directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to submit a monthly report on the inspection of facilities conducted by senior officers.
The LG advised an "institutionalised mechanism to be put in place for scheduled inspections" by senior officers of facilities under their charge, according Ashish Kundra, the Principal Secretary to Saxena. "It would help them obtain a first-hand feel of the core problems being faced by citizens and take corrective policy or regulatory measures. The chief secretary shall circulate a uniform format of the inspection report to all departments and submit a monthly report on the number of inspections done by each officer," read Kundra’s written communication to the chief secretary.
"The LG has observed that this monsoon has seen the complete collapse of civic infrastructure, leading to unfortunate and avoidable deaths of citizens. The underlying problems are symptomatic of endemic neglect. Drains have not been desilted for years, sewer lines are choked leading to flooding even in planned colonies," the letter read.
Kundra said that LG Saxena views this as a "complete absence of senior management oversight" in the city.
The LG advised principal secretaries to conduct inspections every fortnight. Officers were directed to review institutional mechanisms under various central and state acts to ensure they are fully functional, according to a letter. The letter added that rules, authorities, and boards under these laws should be formulated within three weeks.
The LG insisted on a robust mechanism of field-level inspections at the district level under district magistrates (DM). Inspection notes need to be submitted to the divisional commissioner, who will then send a consolidated note to the chief secretary, Kundra said. District magistrates, SDMs, and ADMs are to conduct inspections twice a week in areas of public delivery services, focusing on road infrastructure, drains, sewage management, education, transport, etc. The executive engineer, deputy directors, and other related officers must accompany the district magistrate during inspections. The inspections should cover all settlements, including rural, urban, planned areas, JJ colonies, and unauthorised colonies, the letter stated.
DMs have also been asked to interact with resident welfare associations in their jurisdictions once a month to address local issues. Reacting to the development, AAP said the urban development minister had directed CS Naresh Kumar to submit timelines for the desilting of drains by various agencies like MCD, PWD, DDA, I&FC, and NDMC.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the LG is repeating the things "which have been said dozens of times by the elected government". "If LG has accepted that sewers were not desilted, why is there no action against officers of DJB who did not do their duty," the party said.